Carrot Parsnip Puree

How can something this naturally sweet be so incredibly nutritious!  I must have taken 50 photos of this puree in an attempt to make the photo look as delicious as the puree tasted, when I realized I simply don't have that caliber of photography ability.   So, please, please, try this wonderfully nutritious and delightful puree. You won't be disappointed.  It passed Tom's Taste Test with flying colors!


As I mentioned at the beginning, the puree is a nutritional powerhouse, too.  Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant beta-carotene, which is linked to reducing the risk of cancer, heart attacks, and cataracts.  Other vitamins, minerals and enzymes in carrots support liver, digestive and kidney function, according to Rebecca Katz, author of One Bite At A Time - Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends.  (If you haven't seen this cookbook, I highly recommend it.) And parsnips provide an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, pantothenic acid, and manganese.  


The recipe I devised is a compilation of several I found online, looking for ways to use up two lone parsnips in the crisper section of my refrigerator.  Oh, the beauty of forced creativity.  

Ingredients in soup pot

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
(or olive oil or butter if you don't need coconut oil)
1 cup peeled and sliced parsnips
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves
1/2 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped)
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water


Preparation:
Melt coconut oil in a soup pot.  Chop all vegetables and add to the oil.  Saute for about 5 minutes over medium heat.  Add broth and water.  Bring to a boil.  Then reduce heat and simmer with a cover on the pot until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.  Puree with an immersion blender.  This will make a puree that can be used as a side dish or you can add some more broth and use as a soup.  Garnish with a sprig of fresh cilantro.

Starting to puree with immersion blender

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 3

Pureed with immersion blender

Serving Size: 1 cup                                                      
Calories: 127
Total Fat: 5 g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium: 161 mg
Total Carbs: 20 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 2 g